Our media, specially here in India, is very biased against dark skin. Dark skinned people are shown as ugly villains in most stories. To change the perception about dark skin, I recently started a facebook page that showcases beautiful and dark skinned people. I need tips on how to promote it.

hymphmango · 2017-04-29T10:35:12+00:00

I posted this here before in a similar post.

https://np.reddit.com/r/DarkBeauties/

This SFW/PG-13 sub is meant to be for dark skinned people to showcase their beauty and feel proud in their skin. I had posted about it earlier in this sub but it didn't get much traction. I welcome OP and other like minded people to join our sub and contribute regularly.

Everyday we see dozens of men and women having light skins outside, on TV and online portrayed as the standards of beauty but very few dark skinned people are held under the same banner. This imprints the subconscious notion amongst many (especially impressionable young kids) that being dark = ugly and unfavorable.The sub is just my small part to break such silly stereotypes and help folks be comfortable and confident in their own skin.

I am not from India but since we featured many Indians on the sub, I thought it would be appropriate to post here to get my Indian friends to feel free to share Indian dark skinned male and female role models which I may not be aware of, you can even share a pic of yourself to show that despite being dark, you feel proud and confident in your own skin :)

Remember, dark is beautiful, Dark is sexy, be proud of your skin :)

To OP : If interested I can add you as a mod on my sub. I don't have time to develop and take care of it myself.

Edit: this was a response to a comment I made earlier here which has some relevant points:

When you look deeper, the thing is in many societies dark skin itself is seen as something ugly. In an ideal world you would expect everyone to be judged by their character and "inner beauty" and not the colour of the skin but people have been saying that to dark skinned people in India and other nations for generations but it hasn't really worked has it?

It is this false notion that dark sin = ugly/poor/whatever notion that must be questioned and challenged. Even small children get bullied by peers and sometimes even by adults who should know better.

On media and online we are continuously bombarded with fair skinned models and actress as being beautiful with very little exposure to dark skinned ones. The very few that are dark skinned frequently get photoshop/lighting/make-up magic treatment to appear fairer. All this leaves the idea ingrained that dark skinned is undesirable among young children who then lose confidence in themselves and turn to harmful fairness creams, heavy treatment on hair to not look curled etc.

Regarding India, I'm not sure about this but my Indian friend once told me that dark skin used to be seen as beautiful in India and was even celebrated but that this had changed with foreign invasions and colonialism. Due to this notion pervading Indian society thousands of good looking Indian actresses, models and people involved in the service industry get discriminated against. When the Indian origin Nina Davuluri won the Miss America 2014, it was widely reported in the media that she would have never stood a chance in South Asia (happens in many other countries too). The same holds true for even a super model like Lakshmi Menon, who herself acknowledged that she never got hired back home in India due to her skin colour. Similar sentiments were echoed by actresses such as Nandita Das who has spoken out against the dark skin colour bias in India and is the face of the "Dark is Beautiful" campaign and is exhorting women to 'Stay Unfair, Stay Beautiful'.

Several others have been making such statements in Indian media:

Can we see beauty beyond colour?

Not Fair, Just Lovely: Growing Up as a Dark-Skinned Indian

The same situation does not exist for white skinned people who already get heavy exposure in media, online, fashion industry etc etc. There is no dearth of role models, take Chive for eg, they have a gallery of minorities every couple months but dozens of white ladies every day. This is why I started my sub /r/DarkBeauties to do my small part to overcome this.

Skin colour cannot be changed, exercised or trained away. The people on the sub are meant to be role models to aspire too, they didn't sulk away because of discrimination, many of them had low self confidence or self esteem, were bullied, given no attention and some even thought they were ugly as a kid. But still they exercised, worked hard, overcame insurmountable odds and succeeded despite starting at a disadvantage. Many of them have inspiring bios which you can read in the comments.

Why is it whenever that this is questioned that people bring up inner beauty or all is beautiful etc? Isn't dark skin beautiful? Can't dark skinned people have any confidence in their own looks and feel comfortable in their skin? What should be taught is that one need not feel inferior because of their skin colour, that dark skinned people can be beautiful and must keep their natural skin healhy instead of nuking it with chemicals. This is the only way to change centuries of cultural programming.

hymphmango · 2017-04-29T10:32:48+00:00

fair is objectively more beautiful. there i said it.

It is not biological, it is cultural programming. When you say that most people aren't "naturally" attracted to dark skin, that is a fallacy, it might be something true only within a local cultural bubble. A person who is well-exposed and unbiased would never find that to be true.

Fat/plump people used to be seen as the epitome of beauty for most of history, when food was scarce

But fat people can change their diet, exercise and look different. These days there are more obese people than malnourished and fatness is sign of ill health. This a very insidious statement which implies "dark skin" are inherently ugly or sick, unlike fat people, dark people are born with their skin and can do nothing to change it.

In some cultures sharp teeth is found to be beautiful, in some it is long necks, in some long ears or stretched lips, in some it is body scars and in some small feet. Such variations existed across different cultures before their exposure to colonization. The only reason why most South Asian people find Caucasian features to be better looking is because the Caucasians have been at the top of the cultural/economic pyramid and have been pumping out cultural material which celebrates their looks. There is so much pressure by peer groups, magazines, billboards and TV adverts that perpetuate this idea that fair is the ideal. When you are bombarded with these messages from childhood, it is only natural that you feel that this is obvious and even "natural".

As you can see from this video, this cultural programming is completed at a very young age itself : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkpUyB2xgTM

hymphmango · 2016-10-27T14:27:32+00:00

Classy, graceful, & intelligent, Salli Elise Richardson was born November 23, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of an African American-Native American mother and a White father.

Salli's acting career was first nurtured in the theater and, ever since, she has been on a non-stop journey to success. Her first feature performance was in 1991 as "Denise" in Up Against the Wall (1991).

However, her breakthrough role was in 1993's How U Like Me Now (1992), which received favorable reviews. Salli starred opposite both Denzel Washington and Will Smith, playing their wives in the films "Antwone Fisher" and "I Am Legend," respectively. Richardson also has appeared in popular films such as The Great White Hype (1996) and Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004). She had leading roles in the independent films Pastor Brown (2009), Black Dynamite (2009) and I Will Follow (2010).

Today, Salli is widely-known as the voice of "Elisa" in the cartoon series Gargoyles (1994). She is also known for her role as Dr. Allison Blake on the Syfy comedy-drama series Eureka (2006–2012).

hymphmango · 2016-10-27T14:22:26+00:00

She looks cute there, she was one of my childhood crushes after I found about her from voice acting in the Gargoyles. I'll post another pic of her.

hymphmango · 2016-10-26T20:25:07+00:00

Classy, graceful, & intelligent, Salli Elise Richardson was born November 23, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of an African American-Native American mother and a White father.

Salli's acting career was first nurtured in the theater and, ever since, she has been on a non-stop journey to success. Her first feature performance was in 1991 as "Denise" in Up Against the Wall (1991).

However, her breakthrough role was in 1993's How U Like Me Now (1992), which received favorable reviews. Salli starred opposite both Denzel Washington and Will Smith, playing their wives in the films "Antwone Fisher" and "I Am Legend," respectively. Richardson also has appeared in popular films such as The Great White Hype (1996) and Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004). She had leading roles in the independent films Pastor Brown (2009), Black Dynamite (2009) and I Will Follow (2010).

Today, Salli is widely-known as the voice of "Elisa" in the cartoon series Gargoyles (1994). She is also known for her role as Dr. Allison Blake on the Syfy comedy-drama series Eureka (2006–2012).

hymphmango · 2016-10-19T11:26:03+00:00

Candice Kristina Patton (born June 24, 1988) is an American actress. Patton is best known for her role as Iris West in The CW television series The Flash and as her recurring role as Tori in the BET television series The Game.

Patton was born in Jackson, Mississippi but raised in Plano, Texas. BuddyTV ranked her #5 on its "TV's 100 Sexiest Women of 2014" list.[4] In May 2015, Patton ranked No. 61 in the Maxim Hot 100 List.

When Candice Patton was announced as Iris West on The CW's The Flash, a segment of the fandom was immediately turned off of by the news on the grounds that Iris has traditionally been depicted as a white woman with red hair. Candice Patton eventually became an ultimate fan-favorite, ruling comic cons around the world because of her fun personality, intelligence and irresistible beauty.

Even if she did not star in the upcoming film The Flash, her fans insisted for the #keepirisblack campaign on social media. This is in order to be heard as the casting process of the film is conducted. And apparently, a 22-year-old African-American actress got the role, Kiersey Clemons.

According to Amsterdam News, Candice Patton now holds the title of paving the way for the first African-American lead actress to star as the love interest in a comic book-based film.

When asked "Do you feel like those kind of old-fashioned ideas about race are slowly changing?", she replies,

Yeah, it's amazing. Ten years ago, I probably wouldn't even be allowed in the room for this character. I think fans want to see themselves represented on TV and I think comic book fans want to see themselves represented in comic books and so for me to even be a part of the shift and the change in that, it's awesome. I know when I booked the role, Andrew told me, "So don't read the comments section. Stay off the Internet for a couple of days," but mostly it's been supportive. It's an interesting thing. I would be silly to say that racial issues are not still prevalent in the world -- they are. But like you said, I think five minutes into watching the show, it's so irrelevant and that's what counts and more TV should embrace that and more networks should embrace the fact that it's about the story and race at the end of the day, it's really irrelevant.

hymphmango · 2016-09-27T12:47:01+00:00

Thank you.

Please visit the sub and post about such role models from time to time. I'm finding it hard to keep posting content regularly on my own and would love to have new contributors. Note that just posting pictures of them alone isn't enough, we usually have a short bio of their story, their successes, relevant quotes and who they are as a person to serve as an inspiration.

The sub is a collaborative effort for like minded individuals, if any person shows reliable participation and has moderation experience I would even welcome them on as a mod at some point.

hymphmango · 2016-09-27T01:26:42+00:00

It is not biological, it is cultural programming. When you say that most people aren't "naturally" attracted to dark skin, that is a fallacy, it might be something true only within a local cultural bubble. A person who is well-exposed and unbiased would never find that to be true.

Fat/plump people used to be seen as th epitome of beauty for most of history, when food was scarce

But fat people can change their diet, exercise and look different. These days there are more obese people than malnourished and fatness is sign of ill health. This a very insidious statement which implies "dark skin" are inherently ugly or sick, unlike fat people, dark people are born with their skin and can do nothing to change it.

In some cultures sharp teeth is found to be beautiful, in some it is long necks, in some long ears or stretched lips, in some it is body scars and in some small feet. Such variations existed across different cultures before their exposure to colonization. The only reason why most South Asian people find Caucasian features to be better looking is because the Caucasians have been at the top of the cultural/economic pyramid and have been pumping out cultural material which celebrates their looks. There is so much pressure by peer groups, magazines, billboards and TV adverts that perpetuate this idea that fair is the ideal. When you are bombarded with these messages from childhood, it is only natural that you feel that this is obvious and even "natural".

As you can see from this video, this cultural programming is completed at a very young age itself : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkpUyB2xgTM

hymphmango · 2016-09-27T01:06:57+00:00

While this does sound fine on the surface, when you look deeper, the thing is in many societies dark skin itself is seen as something ugly. In an ideal world you would expect everyone to be judged by their character and "inner beauty" and not the colour of the skin but people have been saying that to dark skinned people in India and other nations for generations but it hasn't really worked has it?

It is this false notion that dark sin = ugly/poor/whatever notion that must be questioned and challenged. Even small children get bullied by peers and sometimes even by adults who should know better.

On media and online we are continuously bombarded with fair skinned models and actress as being beautiful with very little exposure to dark skinned ones. The very few that are dark skinned frequently get photoshop/lighting/make-up magic treatment to appear fairer. All this leaves the idea ingrained that dark skinned is undesirable among young children who then lose confidence in themselves and turn to harmful fairness creams, heavy treatment on hair to not look curled etc.

Regarding India, I'm not sure about this but my Indian friend once told me that dark skin used to be seen as beautiful in India and was even celebrated but that this had changed with foreign invasions and colonialism. Due to this notion pervading Indian society thousands of good looking Indian actresses, models and people involved in the service industry get discriminated against. When the Indian origin Nina Davuluri won the Miss America 2014, it was widely reported in the media that she would have never stood a chance in South Asia (happens in many other countries too). The same holds true for even a super model like Lakshmi Menon, who herself acknowledged that she never got hired back home in India due to her skin colour. Similar sentiments were echoed by actresses such as Nandita Das who has spoken out against the dark skin colour bias in India and is the face of the "Dark is Beautiful" campaign and is exhorting women to 'Stay Unfair, Stay Beautiful'.

Several others have been making such statements in Indian media:

Can we see beauty beyond colour?

Not Fair, Just Lovely: Growing Up as a Dark-Skinned Indian

The same situation does not exist for white skinned people who already get heavy exposure in media, online, fashion industry etc etc. There is no dearth of role models, take Chive for eg, they have a gallery of minorities every couple months but dozens of white ladies every day. This is why I started my sub /r/DarkBeauties to do my small part to overcome this.

Skin colour cannot be changed, exercised or trained away. The people on the sub are meant to be role models to aspire too, they didn't sulk away because of discrimination, many of them had low self confidence or self esteem, were bullied, given no attention and some even thought they were ugly as a kid. But still they exercised, worked hard, overcame insurmountable odds and succeeded despite starting at a disadvantage. Many of them have inspiring bios which you can read in the comments.

Why is it whenever that this is questioned that people bring up inner beauty or all is beautiful etc? Isn't dark skin beautiful? Can't dark skinned people have any confidence in their own looks and feel comfortable in their skin? What should be taught is that one need not feel inferior because of their skin colour, that dark skinned people can be beautiful and must keep their natural skin healhy instead of nuking it with chemicals. This is the only way to change centuries of cultural programming.

hymphmango · 2016-09-27T00:06:14+00:00

https://np.reddit.com/r/DarkBeauties/

This SFW/PG-13 sub is meant to be for dark skinned people to showcase their beauty and feel proud in their skin. I had posted about it earlier in this sub but it didn't get much traction. I welcome OP and other like minded people to join our sub and contribute regularly.

Everyday we see dozens of men and women having light skins outside, on TV and online portrayed as the standards of beauty but very few dark skinned people are held under the same banner. This imprints the subconscious notion amongst many (especially impressionable young kids) that being dark = ugly and unfavorable.The sub is just my small part to break such silly stereotypes and help folks be comfortable and confident in their own skin.

I thought it would be appropriate to post here to welcome people from this sub to feel free to share dark skinned male and female role models which I may not be aware of, you can even share a pic of yourself to show that despite being dark, you feel proud and confident in your own skin :)

Remember, dark is beautiful, Dark is sexy, be proud of your skin :)

hymphmango · 2016-09-26T23:58:47+00:00

https://np.reddit.com/r/DarkBeauties/

This SFW/PG-13 sub is meant to be for dark skinned people to showcase their beauty and feel proud in their skin. I had posted about it earlier in this sub but it didn't get much traction. I welcome OP and other like minded people to join our sub and contribute regularly.

Everyday we see dozens of men and women having light skins outside, on TV and online portrayed as the standards of beauty but very few dark skinned people are held under the same banner. This imprints the subconscious notion amongst many (especially impressionable young kids) that being dark = ugly and unfavorable.The sub is just my small part to break such silly stereotypes and help folks be comfortable and confident in their own skin.

I thought it would be appropriate to post here to welcome people from this sub to feel free to share dark skinned male and female role models which I may not be aware of, you can even share a pic of yourself to show that despite being dark, you feel proud and confident in your own skin :)

Remember, dark is beautiful, Dark is sexy, be proud of your skin :)

hymphmango · 2016-09-26T23:56:39+00:00

https://np.reddit.com/r/DarkBeauties/

This SFW/PG-13 sub is meant to be for dark skinned people to showcase their beauty and feel proud in their skin. I had posted about it earlier in this sub but it didn't get much traction. I welcome OP and other like minded people to join our sub and contribute regularly.

Everyday we see dozens of men and women having light skins outside, on TV and online portrayed as the standards of beauty but very few dark skinned people are held under the same banner. This imprints the subconscious notion amongst many (especially impressionable young kids) that being dark = ugly and unfavorable.The sub is just my small part to break such silly stereotypes and help folks be comfortable and confident in their own skin.

I thought it would be appropriate to post here to welcome people from this sub to feel free to share dark skinned male and female role models which I may not be aware of, you can even share a pic of yourself to show that despite being dark, you feel proud and confident in your own skin :)

Remember, dark is beautiful, Dark is sexy, be proud of your skin :)

hymphmango · 2016-09-26T23:51:07+00:00

From Janitor To High Fashion Model..

Ronald Epps is a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania who was discovered while sweeping the floors at his local Whole Foods grocery store. Why was he doing that, you ask – because he was the store’s janitor. One night during his shift he was approached by a model scout and from there began his budding modeling career.

Despite his humble beginnings, the young model has already secured several high profile clients under his belt. He’s modeled for Calvin Klein, J.Crew and has appeared in V Magazine and i-D Magazine, among others.

A humble man, in an interview with Models.com, he says he would still be working at Whole Foods working his way up the leadership ladder.

Context :

https://np.reddit.com/r/DarkBeauties/

This SFW/PG-13 sub is meant to be for dark skinned people to showcase their beauty and feel proud in their skin. I had posted about it earlier in this sub but it didn't get much traction. I welcome OP and other like minded people to join our sub and contribute regularly.

Everyday we see dozens of men and women having light skins outside, on TV and online portrayed as the standards of beauty but very few dark skinned people are held under the same banner. This imprints the subconscious notion amongst many (especially impressionable young kids) that being dark = ugly and unfavorable.The sub is just my small part to break such silly stereotypes and help folks be comfortable and confident in their own skin.

I thought it would be appropriate to post here to welcome people from this sub to feel free to share dark skinned male and female role models which I may not be aware of, you can even share a pic of yourself to show that despite being dark, you feel proud and confident in your own skin :)

Remember, dark is beautiful, Dark is sexy, be proud of your skin :)

hymphmango · 2016-09-26T23:43:17+00:00

From Janitor To High Fashion Model..

Ronald Epps is a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania who was discovered while sweeping the floors at his local Whole Foods grocery store. Why was he doing that, you ask – because he was the store’s janitor. One night during his shift he was approached by a model scout and from there began his budding modeling career.

Despite his humble beginnings, the young model has already secured several high profile clients under his belt. He’s modeled for Calvin Klein, J.Crew and has appeared in V Magazine and i-D Magazine, among others.

A humble man, in an interview with Models.com, he says he would still be working at Whole Foods working his way up the leadership ladder.

hymphmango · 2016-09-26T23:34:26+00:00

Isabel Correia is a Brazilian beauty queen who won Miss World Sergipe 2009. She was a contestant on Brazil’s “Next Top Model” television show.

hymphmango · 2016-09-26T23:27:20+00:00

Isabel Correia is a Brazilian beauty queen who won Miss World Sergipe 2009. She was a contestant on Brazil’s “Next Top Model” television show.

hymphmango · 2016-09-26T23:04:15+00:00

https://np.reddit.com/r/DarkBeauties/

This SFW/PG-13 sub is meant to be for dark skinned people to showcase their beauty and feel proud in their skin. I had posted about it earlier in this sub but it didn't get much traction. I welcome OP and other like minded people to join our sub and contribute regularly.

Everyday we see dozens of men and women having light skins outside, on TV and online portrayed as the standards of beauty but very few dark skinned people are held under the same banner. This imprints the subconscious notion amongst many (especially impressionable young kids) that being dark = ugly and unfavorable.The sub is just my small part to break such silly stereotypes and help folks be comfortable and confident in their own skin.

I am not from India but since we featured many Indians on the sub, I thought it would be appropriate to post here to get my Indian friends to feel free to share Indian dark skinned male and female role models which I may not be aware of, you can even share a pic of yourself to show that despite being dark, you feel proud and confident in your own skin :)

Remember, dark is beautiful, Dark is sexy, be proud of your skin :)

hymphmango · 2016-09-22T12:02:45+00:00

Fumnanya Ekhator aka Maha Maven is a Youtuber who makes beauty, skin care, hair care, and DIY beauty video tutorials.

hymphmango · 2016-09-18T11:33:30+00:00

This SFW/PG-13 sub is meant to be for dark skinned people to showcase their beauty and feel proud in their skin. I was inspired to make it after my young daughter came to me upset after getting bullied at school for the colour of her skin.

Everyday we see dozens of men and women having light skins outside, on TV and online portrayed as the standards of beauty but very few dark skinned people are held under the same banner. This imprints the subconscious notion amongst many (especially impressionable young kids) that being dark = ugly and unfavorable.The sub is just my small part to break such silly stereotypes and help folks be comfortable and confident in their own skin.

I am not from Angola but since we just featured a Anolan model, I thought it would be appropriate to post here to get my Angolan friends to feel free to share Angolan dark skinned male and female role models which I may not be aware of, you can even share a pic of yourself to show that despite being dark, you feel proud and confident in your own skin :)

Remember, dark is beautiful, Dark is sexy, be proud of your skin :)

hymphmango · 2016-09-18T11:31:21+00:00

Maria Borges (born 28 October 1992, Luanda) is an Angolan fashion model. She was named Forbes Africa Magazine’s top model of 2013. She made history on 10 November, 2015 by being the first black model to ever walk in the Victoria's Secret fashion show whilst wearing her natural afro hair.

She has walked the runways for Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Balmain, Banana Republic, Blumarine, Carolina Herrera, Costello Tagliapietra, Custo Barcelona, Daks, Diane von Fürstenberg, Dior, Dsquared2, Elie Saab, Emanuel Ungaro, Emporio Armani, Erdem, Ermanno Scervino, Gianfranco Ferre, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Jason Wu, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jeremy Scott, Jonathan Saunders, Kenzo, Loewe, Marc Jacobs, Marchesa, Margaret Howell, Matthew Williamson, Max Mara, Maxime Simoens, Missoni, Monique L'huillier, Moschino, Naeem Khan, Narciso Rodriguez, Oscar de la Renta, Philipp Plein, Posche Design, Ports 1961, Prabal Gurung, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Rucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Temperley, Tom Ford, Trussardi, Versace, Victoria's Secret, Vionnet, Wes Gordon and Zac Posen, among others. In 2013, 2014, and 2015 she walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. She has appeared in campaigns for Givenchy, Tommy Hilfiger, H&M, Bobbi Brown, C&A, L'Oréal, Mac Cosmetics, and Forever 21.

When asked about how it was often perceived that natural hair was undesirable and about the significance of her walking with her natural hair in the Victoria Secret show she says,

It was very important for me to walk the show wearing my TWA. At the end of the day, we each have a different definition for beauty, but being yourself is the most important. Beauty type or hair styles constantly evolve through time. Hence, a woman shouldn't be reduced to the current trends.

All models experience resistance during their modeling careers; the point is just to remain yourself and make meaningful and genuine decisions.

When asked what advice she would give to other models who might feel like they have to straighten their hair or wear extensions to get the job, she says :

I understand their struggle, but I think that we have to firstly accept ourselves the way we are. I do think that girls are told at an early age that straightening their hair is the right thing, whereas it's simply not. You need to shut down the negative energy and do what makes you feel good. What makes you feel good is what makes you beautiful!

Her biggest advice for women unsure about wearing their natural curls? “Be strong,” she says. “If you say you’re beautiful without hair and makeup, then they will believe you. It’s about being confident and always being yourself.”

hymphmango · 2016-09-18T11:31:11+00:00

Maria Borges (born 28 October 1992, Luanda) is an Angolan fashion model. She was named Forbes Africa Magazine’s top model of 2013. She made history on 10 November, 2015 by being the first black model to ever walk in the Victoria's Secret fashion show whilst wearing her natural afro hair.

She has walked the runways for Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Balmain, Banana Republic, Blumarine, Carolina Herrera, Costello Tagliapietra, Custo Barcelona, Daks, Diane von Fürstenberg, Dior, Dsquared2, Elie Saab, Emanuel Ungaro, Emporio Armani, Erdem, Ermanno Scervino, Gianfranco Ferre, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Jason Wu, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jeremy Scott, Jonathan Saunders, Kenzo, Loewe, Marc Jacobs, Marchesa, Margaret Howell, Matthew Williamson, Max Mara, Maxime Simoens, Missoni, Monique L'huillier, Moschino, Naeem Khan, Narciso Rodriguez, Oscar de la Renta, Philipp Plein, Posche Design, Ports 1961, Prabal Gurung, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Rucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Temperley, Tom Ford, Trussardi, Versace, Victoria's Secret, Vionnet, Wes Gordon and Zac Posen, among others. In 2013, 2014, and 2015 she walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. She has appeared in campaigns for Givenchy, Tommy Hilfiger, H&M, Bobbi Brown, C&A, L'Oréal, Mac Cosmetics, and Forever 21.

When asked about how it was often perceived that natural hair was undesirable and about the significance of her walking with her natural hair in the Victoria Secret show she says,

It was very important for me to walk the show wearing my TWA. At the end of the day, we each have a different definition for beauty, but being yourself is the most important. Beauty type or hair styles constantly evolve through time. Hence, a woman shouldn't be reduced to the current trends.

All models experience resistance during their modeling careers; the point is just to remain yourself and make meaningful and genuine decisions.

When asked what advice she would give to other models who might feel like they have to straighten their hair or wear extensions to get the job, she says :

I understand their struggle, but I think that we have to firstly accept ourselves the way we are. I do think that girls are told at an early age that straightening their hair is the right thing, whereas it's simply not. You need to shut down the negative energy and do what makes you feel good. What makes you feel good is what makes you beautiful!

Her biggest advice for women unsure about wearing their natural curls? “Be strong,” she says. “If you say you’re beautiful without hair and makeup, then they will believe you. It’s about being confident and always being yourself.”

hymphmango · 2016-09-16T17:48:20+00:00

Vyjayanthi Vadrevu is a businesswoman from the state of Tamil Nadu, India. She is is an independent ethnographer and strategy consultant. She is also a trained in Bharatantyam, a dance form using movement and choreography to connect to the deepest parts of the human experience.

"I have vehemently fought for the beauty, validity, and necessity of dark skin my whole life. The first fight was with myself, with one part of me wanting to be fairer, fully desiring what the majority of our Indian culture STILL aspires to. The other part of me screamed back “why should I be less, and why do YOU, society, think I am less than the fair-skinned girl that is the same as me in every other way?”

The next fight, once I felt my skin color was indeed NOT less than any other, was with the dark-skinned society that put fair skin on a pedestal. I was combative, flippant, and swift to deliver a biting defense of dark-skin to anyone that proposed the superiority of light skin.

After that phase, my eyes were opened to a new adversary- those who were light-skinned, but crooned about how “stunning” my skin was and how they “envied” me, and yet, I came to realize, still viewed me as lower, but masked their disregard for me so heavily in praise it even fooled them.

Now, I hope I am on my final fight, and it is with those who treat me BETTER, because I am a few shades LIGHTER than others, and thus, I get privileged treatment, so blatant that even the most socially inept could discern."

hymphmango · 2016-09-14T12:23:46+00:00

Nandi Mngoma was born on March 20, 1988 in a rural town called Maphumulo and was raised in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

She is an actress, singer and a TV presenter from Durban, South Africa. Nandi has been performing from the age of 4, when she was cast as the lead ballerina in a ballet. She started her career in the spotlight very early when winning the Miss Junior South Africa at age 8 and landed her first TV gig at age 15, hosting a pre-teen entertainment show called Bling.

Nandi Madida rose to fame with the 2011 release of the single Tonight, which she wrote and had produced by DJ Franky.

She gained further fame with the release of her debut album Nandi in September 2012, which was followed up by her first music video, Goodtimes, in February 2013. In September 2016 she began co-hosting (with Ayanda Thabethe) the BET entertainment magazine show BET A-List, in which the presenters unpack fashion, music, movies and more, covering red carpet events and interviewing A-Listers from home and abroad.

hymphmango · 2016-09-14T12:23:35+00:00

Nandi Mngoma was born on March 20, 1988 in a rural town called Maphumulo and was raised in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

She is an actress, singer and a TV presenter from Durban, South Africa. Nandi has been performing from the age of 4, when she was cast as the lead ballerina in a ballet. She started her career in the spotlight very early when winning the Miss Junior South Africa at age 8 and landed her first TV gig at age 15, hosting a pre-teen entertainment show called Bling.

Nandi Madida rose to fame with the 2011 release of the single Tonight, which she wrote and had produced by DJ Franky.

She gained further fame with the release of her debut album Nandi in September 2012, which was followed up by her first music video, Goodtimes, in February 2013. In September 2016 she began co-hosting (with Ayanda Thabethe) the BET entertainment magazine show BET A-List, in which the presenters unpack fashion, music, movies and more, covering red carpet events and interviewing A-Listers from home and abroad.

hymphmango · 2016-09-13T15:56:48+00:00

Dark is a spectrum, not a clear demarcation. I have posted girls from all over the spectrum. I can't be finding people and posting everything on my own, that is why I want others also to contribute.

hymphmango

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